Love to love you, baby

It seems like I constantly have a blog post brewing in the back of my mind. I think, I better get to the computer and commit this puppy to memory. Then I get cleaning or mothering or wifing or looking for a job. And my creative half continues to shrivel up.

But it's not a day for bitching and moaning. It's a day for love. Yes, it's Valentine's Day, a day that was the bane of my existence when I was single. Now that I am married and have a 2-year-old, though. I think it's a lot of fun. M brought me roses, and we had a fancy dinner out here the other night (one of the best meals and dates we've ever had). Boo got a Thomas valentine, some Play-Doh and a coloring book, and he's in heaven. I love that kid.

Happy Valentine's Day, and whether you're single or attached, think of the people you love, and celebrate them.

Isn't it romantic

M and I are going on our tenth year together. We still adore each other, sure, but our idea of romance has become more M bringing the laundry upstairs for me or making pancakes and coffee on a lazy Sunday afternoon than a dozen roses or box of chocolates. But for this Valentine's Day, we decided we needed some couple time, so we went on the brunch cruise on the Odyssey out of Boston.

I wasn't sure we were going, because Boo had a nasty stomach flu on Wednesday night that thankfully cleared pretty quickly. But then M got it and spent Friday being sick. I told him if he didn't feel like sailing around Boston Harbor, I would understand. But he felt better for Saturday morning, so off we went.

We left the Boo with my parents in Melrose. They were thrilled to get time with their grandson. We drove into town and parked at the Rowes Wharf garage, watching all the beautiful people going in and out of the Boston Harbor Hotel. Then we boarded and settled in on the ship.

It could not have been nicer. The weather was beautiful, and the food was outstanding. Each couple got a single long-stem red rose (to me, nicer than a dozen -- I had my bridesmaids each carry one flower instead of a bouquet at my wedding), and there was a musical combo playing, complete with dancing. We took a walk up to the deck, watched the city and the harbor islands go by and just enjoyed each other and the food and atmosphere. After the week of sickness and work and stress, it was so fabulous just to sit quietly with my husband, enjoy some good food and listen to the ocean.

On our first date, we went to the North End, so the original plan was to go walk around there afterward. But M was really pushing it to make the cruise, so we got the car afterward. We stopped at the cemetery to leave my rose with my late grandfather. Then we went to the Hilltop butcher shop to get M some prime rib. We had coffee with my parents, picked up the Boo and came home, tired, happy and having enjoyed each other.

I love you, M. A perfect day with the perfect man.

My heart-shaped cake

My parentals came over yesterday to see me and M The Boo, and we made a bunch of picky food to hang out and watch TV. Since it's my dad's birthday in a few weeks and I'm not sure I'm going to see him, I decided to venture back into the kitchen after being dethroned by M and made a cake. But not just any cake. My parents' 38th anniversary is coming up, as is Valentine's Day (which, after some childhood trauma, has become one of my favorite holidays) so I decided to make a heart-shaped cake. I picked French vanilla with vanilla frosting and heart-shaped sprinkles. Very cute and matchy-matchy -- just the way I like it.

There are some things to consider with a heart-shaped cake. One, you obviously need a special pan. I had picked up a silicone one at Tar-gay a few weeks back. But the average cake mix makes two layers. So with one pan, I had to bake one layer, and then the other. Was kind of a PITA.

Another thing is that a heart-shaped cake is kind of funny from a measurement point of view. They don't cover special shapes when telling you how much frosting you need. I bought a can of frosting, and I really had to skimp to make it cover the whole cake. Finally, cutting a heart-shaped cake is also an odd experience.

After all this bitching, you think I'm going to tell you it was a disaster. But no, the cake came out great, and everyone really liked it. Including me. I gave a lot of it away so it wasn't in my house. Anyone want the last piece of heart-shaped cake, which kind of looks like a boob?

PS I had Nirvana's Heart-Shaped Box in my head the whole time I was baking; hence the title of this post.

That winter lull

The Christmas decorations are down, and the presents are put away. What's the next major holiday? Well, for us Christians it's Easter. But that's in April, which in this frigid state seems a million years away.

So I've been doing some hardcore Valentine's Day decorating. What I've found is it's difficult to find V-day stuff. I went to TJ Maxx yesterday and found some, but Wal-Mart doesn't carry it, and Target and Kohl's had very little. The baby loves the red, and it's fun. But it's still winter in New England, and it's still below zero with the windchill. And that sucks. Maybe we need to light a fire.